Editorial: New Treeland?
OPINION: Forestry is not all bad and planting pine trees on land that is prone to erosion or in soils which cannot support livestock farming makes sense.
THE FREE Trade Agreement negotiated with Korea will cut $65 million in tariffs in its first year alone.
Korea is New Zealand six largest export destination, worth about $1.7 billion a year, with two way trade worth $4 billion.
Duties on New Zealand's current exports to Korea will be largely eliminated within 15 years after the FTA comes into force.
New Zealand and Korea will now complete domestic processes to ratify the FTA and bring it into force. A call for public submissions on the FTA will be made by the New Zealand Parliament as part of the ratification process.
Trade Minister Tim Groser has welcomed the announcement on the successful conclusion of negotiations with the Republic of Korea on a Free Trade Agreement.
"Korea is one of New Zealand's biggest and most important trading partners," says Groser.
"The FTA will deliver real economic benefits for both our countries. It will create more opportunities for our business and will deliver cheaper products to consumers. It's a win-win agreement.
"There are positive outcomes for agricultural exports, as well as the forestry sector, the fisheries industry and exporters of all industrial goods. Government procurement, trade in services and investment are all subject to high quality commitments."
Further information is available at www.mfat.govt.nz/nzkoreafta
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.
Thirty years ago, as a young sharemilker, former Waikato farmer Snow Chubb realised he was bucking a trend when he started planting trees to provide shade for his cows, but he knew the animals would appreciate what he was doing.

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